When the women find their chairs and the shuffling ceases, A woman walks to the center and lights the candle, A woman rings the bell and the space becomes sacred. Maybe, for me, chairs will shuffle forward a bit or back a tad, so every woman sees every other woman’s eyes. A safe container forms …Read more →

What exactly is “sacred activism”, and why is it that so many women in the Gather the Women sisterhood are engaged in it? By one definition, sacred activism is “a philosophy supporting personal and spiritual growth and the pursuit of wholeness”. Scrolling down the GTW Facebook page today, I came across Beth Bondo Bontley’s post …Read more →

What is your circle’s purpose? Does it need a purpose? Yes, it does. Can you just want to get together, sit in a circle, and chat with your women friends? Of course you can, however, it’s best to find an empty table at a coffee shop or have lunch to catch up with your friends. …Read more →

A simple bouquet of flowers or a bowl of fruit on a dining room table makes a world of difference, doesn’t it? It’s hard to define why, but it involves energy. The picture of the the colorful cards in the center is from a Gather the Women circle we held in Juneau for International Women’s …Read more →

In my birth family, we are all extroverts except for my father. When we were young children, the emphasis at meal time was on cleaning our plate before we could leave the table. As I remember it, the conversations centered on keeping one’s elbows off the table, passing the peas or whatever, and not talking …Read more →

Greetings Barbara, I am attaching a few photos for the blog if they fit the theme. I did not take photos of us in circle but a photo of us after we completed the circle. I also have a photo of the center alter but it is not all that clear however I am attaching …Read more →

When we call a circle we follow a protocol to ensure a safe space for women. Many times, a woman new to circle will sit down not knowing what to expect. After the bell rings, and we begin, there are always women who begin to cry. As the woman calling circle, it is my responsibility …Read more →

Last Sunday, my friend Darcy and I met at Vintage Faire, a coffee shop tucked away in our local mall and a halfway point between our homes. We each picked out a teabag, carefully filled our mugs with scalding water from the spigot, and found a table for two. In Juneau, we forego the darling …Read more →

In Berlin, Germany, late in the evening on Monday, November 10th, a young woman named Katharina Sebert sits at her table all prepared for the Gather the Women Regional Coordinators monthly call. Her phone, the meeting agenda, her pen, and a cup of tea are arranged in front of her. In Juneau, Alaska, I, an …Read more →

Hali Karla’s blog post on October 8 has been on my mind ever since I read it on GTW’s Facebook page. It is what Heather Plett calls “open-hearted writing”. If you didn’t catch it as it flowed through the Facebook River, you will be rewarded if you go back and find it. Her website is …Read more →